Cataplexy. professional#
These treatments work well for some, but always consult a medical professional when seeking treatment for any condition.Ĭataplexy, though uncommon, is a fairly mild condition that tends to pair with narcolepsy and with good sleep hygiene and sometimes medical adjustments, it’s a fairly manageable disorder. Certain antidepressants and sodium oxybate have been shown to help treat and manage cataplexy symptoms. Getting at least 7-9 hours per night of quality sleep will help manage symptoms, but always speak with your doctor about other treatment options. While there is no cure for cataplexy, it’s clear that better sleep can help prevent severe episodes. If someone has an episode while you’re with them, make sure they don’t have any dangerous objects in their hands (a knife while making dinner, for example) or won’t fall and hit their head. Usually an episode passes quickly and does not require any medical intervention, but if symptoms are more severe, they could cause collapsing.
Typically, these symptoms begin to surface in childhood. Symptoms can be hardly noticeable, like a small muscle twitch, or can leave you on the floor. Like with many sleep disorders, the symptoms of cataplexy vary pretty widely. It’s possible that narcolepsy and cataplexy are actually autoimmune disorders, as people who suffer from the events often have variations in their T-cell receptors that are similar to those with dysfunctional immune systems.Ĭataplectic episodes vary greatly amongst those who experience symptoms, but typically those with the condition average one episode a week. We experience a sudden burst of emotion, and then a neuron misfires and you’re on the floor. Some researched believe that cataplexy is the state of paralysis our bodies enter in REM sleep, slipping into our daytime routines. Īs with many strange disorders, the exact cause of cataplexy is unknown, but there are a few promising theories. A man with an unusual medical problem is embarrassed to discover the call girl he hired is an old friend. Often cataplexy is misdiagnosed as a seizure disorder, but they impact the brain and body in very different ways.
The condition is also strongly correlated with fatigue, sleepiness, and other sleep disorders. It often occurs after strong positive emotions-laughter, excitement, and extreme happiness can cause an episode.
Cataplexy. full#
It can present in a range of symptoms, from mild drooping of facial muscles to a full body collapse.Īn episode occurs during waking hours, and temporarily paralyzes the individual for less than two minutes. Cataplexy is a sudden loss of muscle tone typically connected to strong emotions or often laughter. There are a lot of sleep disorders out there that interfere with our night life-but what about sleep disorders that actually rear their ugly heads during the daytime? What is CataplexyĬataplexy is a complex medical condition most commonly associated with narcolepsy-an uncommon sleep disorder that affects between 135,000 and 200,000 people in the US.
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